Philippine National Police, DILG and MMDA to attend to NCR-Plus residents’ requirements
MANILA – Philippine National Police chief General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar today said they have prepared their men to do checkpoints in various parts of Metro Manila and other provinces part of the so-called “bubble.”
Speaking at Wednesday Roundtable @ Lido, General Eleazar said the NCR-Plus will have their own bubbles beginning Friday.
“There are two kinds of authorized persons outside residences, also known as APOR, those who belong to the workforce and the consumers. Those who belong to the workforce can move around and cross borders provided they have their respective identification cards. Consumer APOR means a specific household representative who will purchase provisions but will only be allowed purchases within their respective local government units,” he explained.
He said there will be exemptions for people on emergency, humanitarian and medical conditions, like people who will undergo chemotherapy in a health facility outside their residence, people out to purchase medicines as well as organizations involved in humanitarian and relief activities, provided they have the necessary coordination with the local government and other pertinent government agencies.
To prevent the spread of the virus, Eleazar suggested organizations need to identify their beneficiaries and whenever possible, deliver the needed supplies to the recipients’ residences.
“We see limited number of private vehicles so checkpoints will be flexible because we do not want people to be inconvenienced by long queues in checkpoints,” he explained. He added there will be regular meetings of the joint task force every night to assess the situation, listen to stakeholders, the media and netizens who follow them on social media.
“This is to further improve our service to the general public,” he added.
Meanwhile, Michael Salalima, MMDA Chairman Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos’ chief of staff said it will be a “Working ECQ” for the 17 local government units because they will aggressively implement its vaccination program during the two-week period.
“While the lockdown will have negative impact on the economy, the different local government units have prepared to distribute the needed cash assistance for the two-week enhanced community quarantine,” he said.
He said they will be tied-up with their vaccination program, targeting at least 200,000 jabs per day as well as the distribution of the awaited ayuda amounting to P1,000 per person up to a maximum of P4,000 to a family.
Interior and Local Government Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Badulis Diño said it is unfair for different sectors to criticize the national government for allegedly being remiss in their COVID-19 response.
“I take exception to statements that the government has been negligent,” Undersecretary Diño said. He explained barangay officials have been at the forefront in serving the affected families or individuals.
He explained certain sectors who claimed they have not received their amelioration benefits have complained and the different LGUs have provided for them even a couple of months after.
“I have told them (other government executives) barangay officials could help in contact tracing because almost everybody knows everybody,” he said. He assured the public the 42,000 or so barangays nationwide will serve with utmost care as the COVID-19 pandemic remains. (Melo M. Acuña)
PNP Chief Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar (left), MMDA Office of the Chairman's Chief of Staff Manuel Salalima and DILG USec. for Barangay Affairs Martin Badulis Diño. (Screen shots from Wednesday Roundtable @ Lido/Melo M. Acuna)
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